Rail-dressing machine



June 23, 1925. 1,543,404 H. STOKES ET L RAIL DRESSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 27, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 zwmwons WITNESSES I magmas.

H. P. STOKES ET AL RAIL DRESSING MACHINE Filed Oct- 27, 1922. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 InyEm oRS:

WITNESSES-- I Patented June 23, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECEL HARRY'POTTS STOKES, 0F PLYMOUTH, AND JOSEPH WTLLIA M EUNSON, OF LONDON,

' ENGLAND.

RAIL-DRESSING MACHINE.

Application filed October 27, 1822. Serial No. 597,391v

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ITARRY Po'r'rs STOKES and JOSEPH WILLIAM EUNsoN, both subjects of the King of England, residing at Plym outh and London, England, respectively, have invented a new and useful Rail-Dress- 'ing llachine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that type of machine for dressing rails on the track which consists in a motor-truck and an independent grinding attachment or removable grinding carriage driven by the motor of said truck, and it has for its particular objects:

Firstly, to provide means for varying the gauge of the travelling wheels of the machine to suit different tracks. v

Secondly, to provide suspended laterally shiftable twin grinding attachments which can be raised or lowered together and sepa rately set for any required change of gauge of track and in which each grinding disk can be laterally adjusted in conformity with the variations of a pair of rails in such track; I

Thirdly, to provide vertically displaceable sliding cantilevers on the motor-truck for use in carrying and raising or lowering the said grinding attachments and for laterally shifting the position of same;

Fourthly, to provide means permitting of transverse balancing motion by the motortruck in relation to the grinding attachments so as to compensate for the elevation of outer rails in curved tracks; and

F ifthly, to provide adaptable mechanism for simultaneously driving the truck and the grinding disks of the attachments.

These and minor objects are attained by the mechanical arrangement of parts and combination of mechanism hereinafter de scribed with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 are a side elevation and a corresponding plan respectively of the complete rail-grinding machine; Figs. 3 and 4 are sections taken on the lines AA and B-B respectively and drawn to larger scales; Fig. 5 is a cross-section on line C'C of Fig. 4. j v a V In these drawings the same reference characters denote the same parts in all the figures.

A motor 1 is mounted on the truck 2 and fast travelling,

carries on its power shaft a belt pulley 3 transmitting power by belt to a pulley 4 keyed to a transmission shaft This shaft is fitted with asliding double jawed clutch 6 adapted to engage with either of two loose clutch members 7 or 8. In sliding the feathered clutch 6 into engagement with the loose clutch member 7 rotation will be directly transmitted by a chain wheel 9, integral with the clutch member 7, and chain 10 to a chain wheel 11 on a worm wheel shaft 12 and thence by chain wheel 13 and chain 14 to a chain wheel 15 fast on the axle 16, as also by chain wheel 17 and chain 18 to a chain wheel 19 fast on the axle 20. In reversing the motor 1 without shifting the clutch 6 the machine will be caused to travel at the same rate of speed in an opposite direction.

The shaft 5 carries a pinion 22 which is brought into frictional contact with a friction wheel 23, keyed to the shaft 24 having a worm 25, engaging worm wheel 26, carried on shaft 12; a clutch 26 being brought into gear with the worm wheel centre to cause the rotation of shaft 12, thence through the previously cited chain drives in connec tion with the axles l6 and 20, to give feed motion to the machine.

When the clutch 6 engages the clutch member 8, a belt pulley 21, fast on the sleeve 21, is caused to drive, by a belt 21 a pulley 27 which then rotates the spindle 28 of a grinding disk 29 mounted in a laterally displaceable box-frame 30. A clutch 37 also engages with clutch teeth on a sleeve 31 carrying a belt pulley 31? which drives, by a belt, 31 a pulley 32 for revolving the spindle 33 of a grinding disk 34 mounted in a second laterally displaceable box-frame 35. The friction pinions 22 and 36 can be both out of contact with the wheel 23 when or the said pinions can alternately be brought into frictional contact with the wheel 23 in order to rotate such wheel in the one or the other direction and thereby cause the machine to travel slowly forward or rearward whilst the grinding disks29 and 34 are in operation.

. Each box-frame has two perforated bows, such as 38, 39 and 40, 41 respectively which hang on a transverse bar 42 secured in eyes at the free ends of cantilevers 43, 44 and 45. For steadying each box-frame during grind both supports screw-tln'eaded-rods 47. The supports 46- are guided in undercut slideways 48 pro.---

vided in each box-frame, while the rods 4L7 pass through holes in extension boxes, connected with the box-frames and The rods l? are provided with nuts lodged in the boxes 49 and having the form of worm wheels controlled by worms formed near the end portions onspindles 5O fitted with hand-wheels 51. Each spindle 50 ex tends through the two boxes 49 of eachboxframe so that by turning the handwheel thereof simultaneousrotation will be imparted to the'worm wheels in said boxes. As the said worm wheels act as screw-nuts on the'rods L7 it will be understood that 46 and rods 47 of each boxframe move together up'or down'as may be required.

For running the machine without performing any grindingoperation, the -boxframes 80 and are'lifted off the rails by means of the cantilevers l5, ll and which'by their rear ends can move vertical-- ly in slideways formed in upright guide brackets, such as 52, 53 and 5st respectively. Vertical movement in-unison for the three cantilevers is obtained through the intervention of a transverse worm shaft journalled in bearings provided in capping boxes 56 connected with said upright brackets. The Worm shaft drives a worm wheel contained in each box 56. Each worm wheel-is centrally bored and screw-threaded to engage a screw-threaded rod 57 at the upper rear end of the correspoiulingcantilever. Gnc end or both ends of the worm shaft of) is or are squared and in applying a'crankhandle thereto the shaft-55 can be rotatet so as to raise or lower the cantilevers and the suspended box-frames in unison.

To set the supports d6 for different guages of track it is necessary to displace the boxframes 30 and 35 along the transverse by shifting the two outer cantilevers 4a and 4:5. For this purpose the can be later-ally displaced the covers and the shaft 55 from the top boxes 56. As the bows 38 and 4:0 areeugaged 1n the bifurcated free ends of? the cantilevers 44 and 4:5 respectively'it will he -clear" that the box-frames 30 and 35 will follow the lateral movement of the cantileverslt and 4:5. It then remains to effectia-n accurate or final adjustment of the grinding disks 29 and S t in slightly shifting the spindles 28 and 33 with the aid of shifting forks engaged in grooved collars, such as 58.

Alternately in somecases, for :the sakeof simplicity,- we may 54; stationary and provide adjustment of 1 verse torsionalmotion travelling; wheels onsleeve hasa collar 67..

bar 42 brackets -53 and 5st along the head of: the machine after having prev1ously .ren'ioved keep the brackets 52, 53,

the box frames by removing lransxerse bar 42 and re-setting the box frames so that the bows 4C1 come between the lugs ll of the cantilever 43., thebows and l0 being shifted proportionately.

When the machine is dressing the rails of curved tracks the length of the rrchin'e makes it necessary to provide for a t insbetween the front and rear of same and also between the motor truck and the grinding attachments so that the machine. may accommodate itself different elevations in azpairof rz torming straight andcurved tracks. A suitable arrangement which will allow of the torsionalmotionis shown in'Fig. l and it (onsists in a transverse bea1n59 supported at its ends on pins 60 guided in holesin the frame 2. and seated on the spring-supported bear-ingsifor the axle 16. The beam 59 has a superposed central cup 6.1 to receive'the protuberant 62. of a straddling strap 63 fixed upon the middle longitudinal frame member 6%.. Thus, the machine can perform a pivotal movement on they wheel-axle and yield to the unevenness or different level of rails.

Figs. 4 and 5 show the preferred arrangement for varying the gauge of the motor truck.- lVith. this intention the flanged the axles- 16 and 20 areeaoh connected with-asleeve 65 slid-ably mounted ona feather or feathers 66 fast on the corresponding axle -16-or 20. Each At the middle of each axle is fixed a plate 68 having opposite slots '69 in which are seated rotatable spindles 70. Each-spindle has right and left hand screw-threads which engage in coi'res ondingscrew-threaded perforations- .in the llars 67. The-spindles 70 are prevented 10331. endwise movementby fixedshoulder parts 71 so arranged 'atboth side-s against the fixed plate (ES-as to form a means for turn in g;th'e spindles 70 and thereby -impart simultaneous sliding-motion to'the pair of sleeves on the axle; This slidingmotion enables the flanged wheels on the-axlesltiand 20 to be set to any' required gaugeof-track. To suit particularcircumstances detail parts in the foregoing: arrangement may be I modified without exceeding the-scope ofthis invention;

1. A machine: for: dressing rails on the track comprising a motor truck, a twin grinding attachment mounted upon the forwardrend .of the trucle frame, means for driving said truck and grinding. attachment, lateral'balaneingmeans for the rear portion of said truck frame, and vertically adjustableshoes at both sides of said grinding; attachment: I

2. A machine for dressing rails-on the track comprising a -1n0tor truck mounted on wheels, a pair of grinding disks independto the ently pivotally suspended from and laterally slidable upon a transverse shaft carried by the forward end of the truck frame, means for driving said truck and grinding disks, lateral balancing means for the rear portion of said truck frame, vertically adjustable shoes adjacent each grinding disk and means for, varying the gauge of said wheels, as set forth.

3. A machine for dressing rails on the track comprising a motor truck mounted on wheels, a pair of grinding disks independently pivotally suspended from and lat-i erally slidable upon a transverse shaft carried upon the forward end of the truck frame by means of a centrally retained and vertically slidable cantilever and two outer vertically and laterally slidable cantilevers, means for driving said truck and grinding disks, lateral balancing means for the rear portion of said truck frame, vertically ad justable shoes adjacent each grinding disk, and means for varying the gauge of said wheels, as set forth.

4. A machine for dressing rails on the track comprising a motor truck mounted on wheels, a pair of grinding disks each rotatably mounted in bows pivotally sus pended from and laterally slidable upon a transverse shaft carried by the forward end of the truck frame, means for driving said truck and grinding disks, lateral balancing means for the rear portion of said truck frame, shoes vertically adjustable in a bow of each grinding disk and means for varying the gauge of said wheels, as set forth.

5. A machine for dressing rails on the track con'iprising a motor truck mounted on wheels, a. pair of grinding disks each ro tatably mounted in bows pivotally suspended from and laterally slidable upon a transverse shaft carried by the forward end ofthe truck frame, means for driving said truck and grinding disks, lateralbalancing means for the rear portion of said truck frame, shoes vertically adjustable in a bow of each grinding disk, laterally adjustable driving pulleys for each disk carried by the bows, and means for varying the gauge of said truck wheels, as set forth.

6. A machine for dressing rails on the track comprising a motor truck mounted on wheels, a pair of grinding disks independently pivotallysuspended from and laterally slidable upon a transverse shaft carried by the forward end of the truck frame, lateral balancing means for the rear portion of said truck frame, vertically adjustable shoes adjacent each grinding disk, an axle for the wheels, a sleeve for each wheel, and means connected with said sleeves for laterally moving the sleeves and wheels without interfering with the rotary connection between the wheels and axle.

7. A machine for dressing rails on the track comprising a motor truck mounted on wheels, a pair of grinding disks independently pivotally suspended from and laterally slidable upon a transverse shaft carried by the forward end of the truck frame, means for driving said truck and grinding disks, lateral balancing means for the rear portion of said truck frame, vertically adjustable shoes adjacent each grinding disk, an axle for each pair of wheels on the truck, a perforated collared sleeve connected with each wheel, a slotted plate midway on said axle and turnably seated screws mounted on the plate to engage the sleeves.

8. A machine for dressing rails on the track comprising a motor truck mounted on wheels, a pair of grinding disks independently pivotally suspended from and laterally slidable upon a transverse shaft carried by the forward end of the truck frame, means for driving said truck and grinding disks, a transverse balancingbeam supported on the spring-supported axle boxes of the truck and a strap carrying the rear portion of said truck and straddling the beam, pivotal connection between the strap and beam, and means for varying the gauge of said wheels, as set forth.

HARRY POTTS STOKES. JOSEPH WILLIAM EUNSON. 

